VCU news

By Tom Gresham

Bao Chau received a B.S. in chemical engineering from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2022, and he is now a student in the university’s pharmaceutical engineering Ph.D. program, a collaboration of the College of Engineering and the School of Pharmacy. His research focuses on relieving the drug development burden and increasing the availability of medication with the use of novel machine learning techniques.

Chau was selected as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow last year after writing his fellowship application in VCU’s Special Topics in Grantsmanship course. Students at other universities often start building an abstract and working on grant applications at the end of their second year in a Ph.D. program, but this course gave Chau the opportunity to start the research process during his first semester in the program.

Chau explained to VCU News what motivates him as a researcher and why the research process energizes him.

In two sentences, tell us the focus of your research ... and why it is important/impactful for all of us.

In all parts of the world, people face numerous health problems that require medical attention, yet accessing such care may be financially unfeasible or unavailable. My objective is to establish a pathway for enhanced medication access by integrating cutting-edge chemistry and advancing machine learning.

What inspired you to pursue this line of research?

Health issues affect everyone at some point in their lives. Personally, my family has faced numerous health challenges, which have placed us in financially difficult situations. We benefited from having established solutions for our challenges, but it's important to remember that many people do not have the same advantage. The strain that modern medicine puts on people financially, physically and mentally is especially high in the United States. Witnessing the hardships around the world and experiencing them firsthand is my motivation to advance pharmaceutical research and improve the quality of life for as many people as possible. 

Tell us about a surprise in your research journey.

The most surprising aspect of my research journey was how a spontaneous idea could evolve into something revolutionary. Every meeting, brief conversation and presentation presented an opportunity to share knowledge, leading to the generation of small ideas with each interaction. I tested every idea I had, regardless of its perceived value or feasibility, and this approach led to my first major success, eventually becoming a core component of my thesis.

Tell us about an obstacle or challenge you had to overcome in your work.

My Ph.D., like many others, has involved an uncountable number of failures that continue to this day. The main challenge in research has been to overcome these constant failures while still being confident in your ideas, concepts and theories. The first specific challenge I encountered was learning and applying machine learning in the field of chemistry. Before beginning my Ph.D., I had limited experience with coding and no experience with machine learning. However, with time and effort, I was able to grasp the concepts and apply them directly to chemistry, resulting in the development of a novel method for optimizing chemical processes.

Is there a memorable partnership or lesson you've embraced along the way?

The most important lesson I learned during my Ph.D. is the importance of having a strong support system and surrounding oneself with quality people. There are several memorable collaborators and mentors I have worked with. This includes my fantastic lab mates who work in the same area as me, as well as my primary mentor and research advisor, Thomas Roper, Ph.D., director of pharmaceutical engineering and a professor in the College of Engineering. Without them, I would be far from the person and researcher I am today. The ability to be me consistently around them, their patience for my ever-flowing ideas, and their guidance and assistance on topics I do not understand allow for significant personal growth. I am immensely grateful to all of them, and I hope that everyone can have a support system as great as mine.

What do you find fulfilling about the research process?

I thoroughly enjoy the thrill of adrenaline that comes from achieving short-term successes in the lab. However, what truly fulfills me about research is the idea that my work will have a significant impact on my field, advancing it to improve the quality of life for more people. Furthermore, I find fulfillment in the potential to inspire others to pursue a similar path and offer their perspectives on current and future issues.

What advice would you offer undergrads to kick-start their own research journeys?

The key advice is to step outside your comfort zone. It's easy to stick with what you know and your routine, but pushing yourself even an inch beyond that can lead to significant personal growth. When I was an undergraduate, I was quiet and kept to myself. However, I managed to take a small step and ask my current advisor, Dr. Roper, for an opportunity to do research, despite my nerves preventing me from forming a steady sentence. Without that small step, I would not be where I am today. Each following step becomes easier making your research journey blossom, all stemming from that first step.